Stretchable belt



Feb. 19, 1952 M. EPSTEIN 2,586,457

STRETCHABLE BELT Filed Aug. lO, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l 3 -INVENTOR I ar Ejosoz'fz BY f M25/L,

ATTORNEYS Feb. 19, 1952 M. EPsTElN 2,586,457

STRETCHABLE BELT Filed Aug. l0, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v A 1) Y 4 l l'IlllIllI/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIYIII fifi/I E'psfejn BY /mJ/MU ATTORNEYS Feb. 19, 1952 M. EPSTEIN 2,586,457

STRETCHABLE BELT Filed Aug. l0, 1949 5 Sheetsheet 5 IN VENTOR ATTORNEYS atentec Fel). 19, i952 STRETCHABLE BELT Max Epstein, Rochester, N. Y., assgnor to Hickok Manufacturing Company,

Inc., Rochester,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 10, 1949, Serial N o. 109,580

9 Claims. l

This invention relates to stretchable belts for personal wear. i

One object of the invention is to provide a belt for personal wear embodying, among other characteristics, a belt particularly constructed to ex or stretch in conformity with body movements of the wearer and otherwise provide for the wearers comfort in the wearing of the belt.

Another Aobject of the invention resides in the provision of a stretchable belt, embodying economy and inexpensiveness of manufacture and in which the stretchable means is concealed within the belt and the amount of stretch of the stretchable means is limited to prevent overstretching and consequent unnecessary wear on the stretching means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a new ornamental and attractive design of belt for personal wear embodying stretchable means on opposite sides of the buckle fastening means operable to stretch to accommodate any normal or abnormal movements of the body at the waist line obviating any unnecessary tightening of the belt on the wearer.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in theV form, proportions, and minor details of construction, with the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the invention, showing one form of the belt in unbuckled condition;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary slightly enlarged front View of the belt, having the ends thereof buckled together;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the buckle end member of the belt;

Figure 4 is a similar view, parts being broken away;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the D line 5 5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one end of the belt body extending through openings at the outer end of eitherl of the end members of the belt;

Figure '7 is a transverse sectional view on the line 'I-'1 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 2;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of overlapping connection of the ends of the strands I3 and I4 with the elastic webbing 45 secured in the overlapping relation by stitching;

Figure 10 is a vperspective view of a modified form of unbuckled belt, parts being broken away to -show the connection of an end of a solid belt connected positively to the stretchable member carried by each end member of the belt.

Figures 11 to 14, inclusive, illustrate fragmentary views of a modified form of the invention;

Figures l5 to 20, inclusive, illustrate fragmentary views of a still further modification of the invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings. and first more particularly to Figures 1 to 9, inclusive, illustrating one embodiment of the invention, the reference character IIJ indicates, generally, the body portion of a belt for personal wear, the characters II and I2 indicating end members, constituting a buckle end member and a free end member, respectively.

The belt body I0, in this form of the invention, is composed preferably of narrow, flat, spaced, substantially rectangular shaped strands I3 and I4 of leather or other suitable material.

The strands I3 and I4 are maintained in substantially uniform spaced relation throughout their lengths by a plurality of spaced, similarly formed spacing members I5, I6 and II slidable on the strands I3 and I4 and located between the ends of the strands, as shown. Any desired number of these spacing members may be employed in the make-up of this particular open work belt body and they may be composed of any suitable material, preferably leather, and, if desired, they may be of a color contrasting with the color of the strands I3 and I4.

The material of which the spacing members I5, I6 and I'I are formed is in each instance folded to provide each with an intermediate body portion I8 and open ended sleeve portions I9 and 20 at the ends of the respective body portion I8 to snugly but slidably receive the respective strands I3 and I4, whereby the said spacing members are adjustably supported in different positions on the strands. The folded portions of said body portions I8 of the spacing members are stitched together along lines 2I and 22 adjacent the inner edges of the spaced respective strands to complete the formation of said sleeves I9 and 2Il and to connect the overlapped ends of the folded material together.

The opposite ends of the strands I3 and I4 of the open-Work body portion of the belt are free and extend beyond the outermost spacing members for a purpose presently understood.

The free ends of the strands I3 and I4 may be connected in any suitable manner to buckle fastening members, but in this embodiment of the invention, new types of buckle fastening end members Il and I2, hereinbefore denoted, are employed. For instance, there is the buckle 'end member II and the free or tongue end member I2. The buckle end member II is formed cf'a single piece of leather or other suitable material 23, broadened in width or spatulate in shape at the inner end thereof, as at 24, the outer narrower portion 23 being folded back upon itself and stitched longitudinally along its side edges to the inner face of the body of the material attheinner end thereof, as at 25 and 2E, to provide a loop 23 to pvotally receive the rear bar 28 of a suitable buckle frame 29 carrying a buckle tongue 30. The inner end-of the buckle tongue 3e is pivoted -on said rear barA 28 of thebuckle-frame in the usual manner and-extends therefrom through an aperture 3l in the loop -2I. This backwardly turned portion forming said loop 2l'- is further Vsecured to the body-of the end member II by spaced transverse rstitches 32,- 33 -and 34, the stitchingsV 33 and 34 beingon-opposite sides of the-usual belt guideloop :i-which is stapled or otherwise secured to the buckle end member, as at 3G, before the formationV of said loop 21.

The outer Vend of the material of which the end; member II is formed is folded back upon itself, providingv a wall 3l, and stitched or otherwise secured along its longitudinal edges-asat 38 and 39 and at its inner end,as at 40, for cooperation Withthe body ofthe material of which'the end member is composed, to provide Ia pocket 4I.

The pocket 4I is notched atvopposite Asides to provide spaced openings l42-and-I1?, at itsouter end, with a portion intermediate said Aopenings constituting an abutment 44- for a purpose presently explained.

A relatively short or small piece of elastic webbing 45 is located and concealed within said pocket 4I of the ornamental buckle end member II and has its inner end flXedly secured in the pocket by the aforesaid stitches e'by which the inner end of the wall'3'i is secured to the inner'face of thebody of the said buckle end member II to form the said pocketd I.

The elastic webbing 45 has its outermost end secured to the respective ends of the strands I3 and I4, in abutting-alining relation therewith, lby means of staples or stitching *4S or in any other suitable manner. This manner of connecting the respective inner ends ofthe strands I3 and I4 to the elastic webbing i5 provides clearance for the engagement of the outer edge of the webbing between said pocket openings 42 and 43 to engage the aforesaid abutment 44 to limit the amount oi outward expanding stretch of the elastic webbing, thereby not only enhancing the life of the webbing, but also providing for a noiseless stop contact between the webbing and abutment asdistinguished from contacting metal surfaces vfor limiting or stop purposes. The elastic webbing constitutes a combined stretchable member and stop means to limit outward movement of the end member II.

The free or tongue end I2 of the belthas an enlarged or spatulate or ornamental inner end 41 and a narrower outer end 48V for'insertion into and withdrawal from thebuckle frame 29 in the usual manner and it also'has spaced perforations 49 for interchangeable or adjustable connection with the buckle tongue 30.

The inner end of the free or tongue end member I2 is formed exactly the same as the inner end of the buckle end member II, including a pocket 49' formed in the same manner as the pocket 4I and like the latter'including spaced openings 50 and 5I and abutment 52 and extendible or elastic webbing element 53 connected at one end in the pocket and connected to the respective ends of the strands I3 and I4 in the identical manner as hereinbefore described in lconnection with the pocket 4I of the buckle end member I I andA further detailed description of the end member I2 would seem unnecessary except .perhaps to. add. that the outer narrower end 48 conforms substantially in width to the width of the outer end of the buckle end I I and the width of the body of the belt and has a series of spaced perforations49 Vfor lcoaction -with the Ybuckle tongue 30 to fasten the ends of the belt together.

n Figure'lO another embodiment of the invention is illustratedfshowing the intermediate body portion 51 of-the beltr in solid form and having its opposite ends bifurcated or slotted to provide spaced` elements l'58 and 59, the extremities of which abut the respective' endsV of the elastic webbing' 60 'and securedin the abutting relation by suitable fasteningsY 6I, Vsuch as stitching; oth- 'erwiseA the structure of this embodiment of the invention is thesame as the embodiment first described herein. It is to. be understood that in both forms of theinventionpthe ends of the intermediate body 'portion ofthe belt may be secured to respective. elasticwebbingsin any other mannerthanas shown, as for instance, .in Figure 9,Y where the ends` of 'the strands .overlap the elastic webbing and stitched,.as..at. 62

In both forms of. the invention, there is provided a belt ,for personal vwear of .an attractive, ornamental designincide'nt to Athe enlargements or spatulate shaped portions of the end'members of the belt .andarranged ,on both sides of the buckle.fasteningnieans. Either or both of the stretchable elementsmay-.function according .to the needs :orfcomfortf of the-wearer-.and Vof course, any :suitable .type fof` buckle.- vother than that illustrated, may be employed.

VA modication of- .the invention vis .illustrated in ligs. 11 tofli inclusive wherein ,the-solid strap 63 has likev exicxamiible.` and 4contractibleend` members, the tongue 'endimem-bers (i4-being sufficient to illustrate the invention becausefofv the sameness of structural:characteristics of.;.both of the end members. lhestrapx83y near; each.- end, has a closed slot:155,:thesinI-ier end-'of each ofl which slots is adapted to abut the abutment 66 to limit thegexpanding;outwardfstretch of lthe respective elastic webbing :68, vasin the previous forms illustrated and described.

VvToassemble theiparts; in this formofthe invention, to enclose the elastic-webbing 68 in the respective po cket.` as previously described inlother forms of the invention, the tongue end member 464, dorf-instance, is threaded through the -respective slot E5 of the strap vbody Aportion 63, as shown in Fig. '12, to bringthe reducedportion 69', Y whichforms' the yabutment ofA the character previously described', into the `respective ,slot 65.

atea-457 tion 89' is brought into the aforesaid slot 85, the spatulate shaped pocket wall 'I0 of the tongue end member is turned, as shown in Fig. 11, and brought into parallelism with the spatulate shaped pocket wall 1I. The walls 10 and H are finally sewed or stitched together about the edges thereof to form the respective pocket for the respective elastic webbing 68 which is secured at the respective end of the strap by stitching 13 or otherwise. The opposite end of the elastic webbing is secured to the inner face of the wall 1I by stitching 14 or otherwise. The walls 'I0 and 'Il of the pocket are secured by stitching 15 or otherwise. This invention functions the same as the previous forms described, the outer closed ends of the slots in the form shown in Figs. 1l to 14 inclusive limitingv the inward movements of the retractible elastic webbings and with the opposite closed end of the slot limiting the outward stretch of the elastic webbing.

. Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 15 to 20, inclusive, wherein both end members are alike but only one shown, it being suiicient for purposes of illustration of this modified form of the invention. In this form of invention now being described, the tongue end 18 has a spatulate wall Tl, having side flaps 18 and 'I9 adapted to be stitched together at their opposing edges as at 80 and the flaps constituting a wall for cooperation with the wall 11 to provide a pocket of the character previously described.

Asin the form of invention illustrated in Figs. 11 to `14 inclusive, this latest form of the invention includes a solid strap 8| having a closed slot 82 near each end and the elastic webbing 83 is secured at one end by stitching 84 or other- Wise to one end of the strap 8| with its opposite end secured by stitching 85 to the inner face of wall 11.

The wall 11 has a relatively long strip 86 extending from its rear edge, between the edges thereof, and which strip extends inwardly through said slot 82 of the strap and intov the pocket and, at its outer end, secured by stitching 85 which secures the inner ends of the aforesaid flaps 'I8 and 19 to the inner end of the pocket Wall 'H and which stitching also secures the free end of said strip 86 in said pocket. In this last form described, the abutment is shown at 88, and of a curved formation as in the forms previously described, and which is that portion of the aforesaid strip 86 and which cooperates with the closed ends of the respective slot 82 as in the forms previously described.

In each form of the invention, the free or tongue end member is in the nature of a combined tongue and pocket, the pocket being at the inner end of the tongue and carried thereby. The pocket opens outwardly and slidably receives the respective end of the body of the strap. There is an expansible and contractible element in the pocket which is fixed at one portion of the pocket and at another portion fixed to the body of the strap.

What is claimed is:

l. A stretchable belt including a main body part and an end member, the latter having a pocket extending to its inner end and slidably receiving therein an end portion of the main body part,

said pocket at its outer end intermediate the sides thereof having a transversely extending end wall portion connected with opposite side walls of the pocket, said end of the pocket being open at each side of said intermediate end wall portion, said end portion ofthe main body part having laterally spaced opposite parallel longitudinally extending wall portions, said laterally spaced wall portions straddling said end wall portion of the pocket and extending through the openings at either side of said end wall portion into the pocket, and an elastic member completely enclosed within said pocket secured at one end to the inner end portion of the pocket and secured at its opposite end to said end portion of the body part within the pocket, said end wall portion serving as means for limiting the extent of stretch of said elastic element.

2. A stretchable belt of the construction defined in claim 1 and in which the elastic element consists of a strip of elastic webbing.

3. A stretchable belt of the construction defined in claim 2 and in which the belt has an end member of the construction set forth in claim 2 at each end thereof, and the end members have on their outer end portions cooperating buckle fastening means to connect the same together.

4. A stretchable belt including a main body part and an end member, the body part comprising a pair of laterally spaced strands, means engaging the strands and maintaining the same in substantially uniform spaced relation, the end member having a pocket extending from its inner end portion slidably receiving 'an end'portion of the main body part, said pocket at its outer end intermediate the sides thereof having a transversely extending end wall portion connected with opposite side walls of the pocket, said end of the pocket being open at each side of said intermediate end wall portion, the strands at said end portion of the main body part straddling said end wall portion of the pocket and extending through the openings at either saide of said end wall portion into the pocket, and a strip of elastic webbing within said pocket secured at one end to the inner end portion of the pocket and secured at its opposite end to the strands of said end portion of the body part within the pocket, said end wall-portion serving as means for limiting the extent of stretch of said elastic element.

5. A stretchable belt as defined in claim 4 and in which the means for maintaining the strands of the body part in substantially uniform spaced relation consists of al plurality of sleeve members located at intervals intermediate the ends of the body part and longitudinally adjustable thereon.

6. A stretchable belt including a main body part having a closed longitudinally extending slot in an end portion thereof and an end member having a pocket extending to its inner end, said pocket at its outer end intermediate the sides thereof having a transversely extending end wall portion connected with opposite side walls of the pocket, said end of the pocket being open at each side of said intermediate end wall portion, said end wall portion slidably engaging the slot in said end portion of the body part, and a. strip of elastic webbing completely enclosed within said pocket secured at one end to the inner end portion of the pocket and secured at its opposite end to said end portion of the boda7 part within the pocket, said end wall portion serving as means for limiting the extent `of stretch of said elastic element.

7. A stretchable belt including a main body part and an end member, the latter having a pocket extending to its inner end and slidably receiving therein an end portion of the main body part, said pocket having a. relatively long strip integral 7 i with :and extending from oneafside -Wall of the pocketsati the=iouterend :thereof @across :said end of `lthe pocket to :the `:opposite side vwall thereof and thence-longitudinallyfwithn therpocket ralong said last mentioned side Vwall Y and being secured thereto, said end portion of '.the rmaintbody-part having :laterallyzspaced 'opposite ,paralle1 .longitudinally 'extending Wall;,portions,1said laterally spaced wall portions straddling said end wall. portion :of the. pocket and extending throughtthe Openings at either -sidewof said *end -wall rportion of -the pocket r into the pocket, i and an .elastic member completely enclosed within said pocket secured .at Yone rend tothe inner rend. portion of the Vpocket andsecured at-its opposite -end to said end portion of the body partwithinthe pocket, said` end wall portion serving. as. means for. limiting .-the extent .of .stretchof `said .elastic element.

`EHA.-stretchable belt including a-main body part and an end member, the'latter having an inner section provided intermediate its ends -Wth notches-in opposite side marginal portions thereof, Asaid inner sectionbeing folded back upon tselfat-saidnotches and securedtalong its marginal -portion to `the opposing fold .to ,provide a Tpocket having at its outer .end intermediate itsl` side marginal portions a, transversely extending `end wallwith an nopeningvat each side of saidend wall, the `outer end portion oftheY main bodypart having laterally. spaced parallel longitudinallytextending t wall portions straddling said end wall portion of `the vpocketand extending through the openings at either side of said end wallvportion into 'the-pocket, and an 'elastic member-completelyenclcsed Within the pocket secured at one en`d` to the. inner .end portion of the pocket and secured at its opposite end to'said end portion ofthe body part within the pocket, said'end wall 1portion;-5serving as jfmeans f for :limiting the extent of stretch of said elastic i'member.

.'9. A fstretchablebelt including-fa main :body partira-ving lafclosedlongitudinally extending` slot in -an end'portion thereof, and an .end .member having an t inner .section kprovided intermediate its ends with notches .inopposite side .marginal portions thereof, the inner Asection extending through :the: slot inthe endportion .of thebody part and-being folded back upon f itself .at the notches in its 'side marginal Vportionsand secured alongy its-marginal portionsito the opposingf'fold to provide alpocket having. at its. inner Vend an end walllrinterme'diate' its v'side marginal portions with an opening yat each side of said end Wall, si'dpocket slidably receiving therein said vend portion of saiddnodyv part. 'said .end 'Wall ofthe pocket 'slidably engaging 'theslotin l the 'end"wa1l of "thelbo'dypart, and an elastic member'completelyenclosed within said pocket secured at one end tothe innerend of 'the pocket and secured at' itsopposite end to said end portion vof'the body. part 'within l the pocket, the end Wall portion r `serving as meansfor limiting theextent ofstretch 4of said elastic element.

MAX-EPSTETCN4 REFERENCES CITED K The following references are of record 'inthe file 'of'this patent:

`.UNITED A STATES :PATENTS Number Name Date 1,367,481 Jansen Feb.`1, 1921 y234425855 '.Luftig iJune"-3,.1948

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date *669237 yFrance ;Nov..-13. 1929 

